Security forces in southwestern Iran used force against jobseekers protesting alleged unethical hiring practices at the Lishtar refinery project on Monday, according to human rights organizations. Demonstrators in Gachsaran were reportedly beaten and fired upon as authorities sought to disperse the crowd.

The Human Rights Activists’ News Agency (HRANA) reported that police opened fire toward protesters near the refinery, with video footage showing gunfire directed at the demonstrators. While HRANA cited at least one injury, the Iran Human Rights Center indicated that the number of wounded could be higher. Medical sources within Iran told a regional news outlet they had not yet confirmed casualty figures or the conditions of those injured.

Additional demonstrations took place in Ahvaz, where similar confrontations reportedly occurred outside the Bahai Khazal Sugarcane Industry-Endampany. The Karun Human Rights Organization received videos and witness reports alleging that security forces used live fire and physical violence against protesters. The group also said an officer appeared to injure his own hand, allegedly to fabricate a reason for arresting demonstrators.

Protests were further reported in other parts of Iran, including Tehran, where retired telecommunications workers demonstrated over unpaid back wages and pension funds. These labor-related protests come amid widespread dissatisfaction driven by Iran’s deepening economic troubles.

On the same day as the protests, judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei warned of stricter measures against any future demonstrations. Speaking publicly, Ejei cautioned that authorities would respond to unrest with more force than in previous incidents, emphasizing coordinated action by police, intelligence services, and the judiciary.

Iran’s economy has been under severe strain due to long-standing financial mismanagement, international sanctions, and escalating regional tensions, including a conflict with the United States and Israel and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. These factors have exacerbated domestic hardships, alongside a government-imposed internet blackout and ongoing water shortages.

Recent unrest in Iran’s energy sector also highlights economic grievances. Offshore oil and gas workers in Asaluyeh protested wage and rental payment difficulties, expressing frustration that vital workers face financial insecurity despite their role in sustaining production.

The current wave of unrest follows a brutal crackdown on nationwide protests that began in December and intensified in January. Human rights groups allege the deaths of over 30,000 demonstrators at the hands of regime security forces, while Iranian authorities have reportedly maintained a campaign of executions targeting protest participants.

Economic data from Iran’s Statistical Center underscore the severity of the crisis. Food inflation surged 128% in the month spanning late June to July compared to the same period last year. Prices for meat and dairy products rose sharply, with beef, lamb, and chicken up about 149%, and dairy costs increasing by 147%. Many citizens have also reported disruptions in receiving social welfare payments, compounding the cost-of-living pressures.

Experts on Iran’s domestic situation warn that worsening economic conditions could fuel further protests. Beni Sabti, an analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said Iranians face dwindling means of survival, which may prompt new waves of unrest. Sabti noted corruption has undermined government subsidy efforts, and inflation has caused the cost of goods to jump roughly eightfold since January.

He highlighted that economic hardship is affecting a broad cross-section of society, including some police personnel who have voiced complaints about their inability to afford basic living expenses. Sabti suggested that if the United States were to provide the regime with financial relief through a negotiated agreement, it could alter the domestic landscape. Conversely, continued economic pressure might provoke larger-scale dissent against the Iranian government.